Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Members, Customers, and Donors

The Toronto Symphony Volunteer Committee (TSVC) is a separately incorporated charity affiliated with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO). The TSVC supports the TSO through a major gift to its annual operations and through endowed funds. The TSVC is grateful to the more than 200 volunteers who raise funds through numerous projects and who give their time to the TSO’s education programmes.

The TSVC collects personal information in the course of its operations which it protects and safeguards in accordance with the requirements of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). The TSVC is responsible for all personal information it holds and remains responsible when personal information is processed by third parties on the TSVC’s behalf.

For questions or concerns about the TSVC Privacy Policy or practices, please contact the
TSVC manager at (416) 593-7769 ext. 359 or tsvc@tso.ca.

The TSVC privacy policy may change from time to time.

What is collected?

The TSVC collects personal information from members, customers, and donors which can include:

name, street and email addresses;

telephone, fax, and credit card numbers;

birth date, age, and proof of age;

purchase and donation history;

Business addresses and certain publicly available information, such as names, addresses, and phone numbers as published in telephone directories, are not considered personal information. The TSVC collects information about identifiable individuals from published or public sources for the purposes of its fundraising activities to support the TSO and if the information is reasonably necessary for the fundraising activities.

When is it collected?

Personal information is acquired from members when they join the TSVC and pay membership fees. It is also acquired from customers and donors when TSVC sells tickets or processes donations. It may also be acquired when people participate in TSVC promotions, contests, lotteries, surveys, or register to receive email bulletins. Access to the TSVC website is anonymous unless the patron voluntarily supplies information through such transactions as email, entering a contest, making a purchase or donation, subscribing to an e-newsletter, registering for programmes, or submitting a membership application.

Information Collected by Technology: The nature of the internet requires specific information to be exchanged between a web visitor and the TSVC’s website. The information collected through website technology does not identify individuals personally. It includes:

Internet Protocol (IP) address

Internet Service Provider (ISP)

Type of Operating System (Windows, Macintosh, etc.)

Web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc)

This information is used to identify system problems and monitor network traffic. The TSVC does not attempt to link this information with the identity of the visitors to the TSVC website except when necessary to protect the service, the site, or the visitors to the site.

Parts of the TSVC’s website use cookies to enable the exchange of information between an individual’s web browser and the TSVC’s web server. Cookies enable on-line registration and indicate how an individual navigates the website. Information about user activity helps the TSVC improve the site. The TSVC does not use cookies to obtain personal information. Although web browsers can be set to detect or reject cookies, rejecting cookies may cause the service to be slower or to malfunction in some way.

For what purposes is the information collected?

Personal information is used primarily for membership registration and to deliver membership services (such as the Membership Book, membership service recognition, the newsletter, e-newsletter, and mailings). It is also used for purchase and donation transactions and to deliver tickets and tax receipts. It is also used to solicit ticket sales for TSVC and TSO events, and in development campaigns through direct mail, telephone, fax, or email.

Who has access to the information?

Only authorized TSVC and TSO personnel have access to the information based on their need to deal with the information for the reasons it was obtained. When it is shared with third party agencies (such as payment processing companies, mailing houses, auction houses, and appraisers), they are bound by contract to the same privacy standard that the TSVC uses.

Identifying the purposes and informing patrons

The TSVC identifies the purposes for the personal information it collects and informs patrons through privacy messages which appear in membership, sales, and donation brochures, and the TSVC website.

Consent for use of information

The TSVC obtains consent for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information. Patrons who are informed of the TSVC’s uses of personal information through its privacy messages, and who do not ask to opt out or be removed from TSVC lists, are understood to have granted implied consent. Explicit consent (oral, written, “opt-out”, or “opt-in”) is also used.

To be removed from TSVC mail or email lists, please call the TSVC manager at 416-593-7769, ext. 359 or tsvc@tso.ca.

Limiting use, disclosure, and retention of personal information

Use: Information is used for the purposes described above and no others.

Disclosure: The TSVC does not sell or rent its list of members, customers, or donors.

Retention: Hard copy records with patron transaction information are retained by the TSVC as required by law for seven years and then shredded. Electronic database files with purchase and donation history are retained as the TSVC often has decades-long relationships with its supporters and requires this information to service and recognize them appropriately.

Safeguarding information

The TSVC takes technical, contractual, administrative, and physical security steps to protect the personal information in its possession. The security safeguards are appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information.

Accuracy and access

The TSVC strives to keep personal information accurate, complete, and up-to-date. Upon request, the TSVC will provide a patron with information on the existence, use, and disclosure of his or her personal information. The patron may verify the accuracy and completeness of the information, and have it amended as appropriate.

To notify the TSVC of any such change in name, address, phone number or other personal information, please call the TSVC manager at (416) 593-7769, ext. 359 or tsvc@tso.ca.